Canada's Irish Festival on the Miramichi

The Irish Festival on the Miramichi has been an annual event for twenty-six years. It is held in what was formerly the town of Chatham, my father's birth place on the banks of the Miramichi River. The festival celebrates Irish heritage in a part of New Brunswick which has been a welcoming place for Irish immigrants since the 1700's. The Bohan's came to the Miramichi in 1830 along with the Mann's, my mother's family. It's always very nice for me to return here to the place where I spent much time growing up and visiting with my grandparents in Chatham and Newcastle.

The Festival celebrates families, many of whom walk in the annual parade under family banners. Looking at these pictures, I am reminded somewhat of the Rider games.

The festival is also a time to do a little genealogical digging and investigating.

And spending time with some real leprechauns: here some friends for many years, members of the Carrol family. The children here are about the age of their parents when I first met them during my time at St. Bartholomew's Church, Melrose and St. Clement's, Port Elgin, in the 1970's (to the back)when their parents were altar servers and members of the childrens choir. Friends are always a great blessing.

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